Érdi’s team have written software that not only charts this evolution, but also hits the fast-forward button on the rate and type of citations to help predict whether existing technological fields can combine or diverge to create new areas of innovation.
“Patent citation data seems to be a gold mine of new insights into the development of technologies, since it represents the innovation process,” says Érdi. They tested their algorithm on old data from the US Patent and Trademark Office’s “agriculture, textiles and food” category of inventions and found that it predicted the emergence of a field recently created to cover nonwoven textiles - fabrics whose fibres are squeezed or forced together, often using solvents as bonding agents.

Daubney J shows considerable fortitude, patience and good humour in dealing with this self-represented criminal accused on the first day of a trial for attempted murder. The transcript contains some very strong language and is not for the faint of heart, but it makes for amusing reading. The best part is probably when the accused sarcastically suggests that the judge order him a pizza. Some choice excerpts follow (see here for the full transcript):

.northwesternmutual (because everyone wants to type that instead of .com)

Looking through this list, it seems that some applicants have rather missed the point of the gTLD process. Either that, or they’re drastically overestimating the need for defensive registrations.
Unsurprisingly, .cloud, .app, .news, and .movies were all hotly contested. Enjoy your $185,000 application fee, suckers.

The Chief Justice starts to speculate about philosophy with characteristic dry wit. Then comes a classic dodge, if ever there was one, from Mr Tehan QC.

GLEESON CJ: What do you mean by “free choice”?

TEHAN QC: What we mean by “free choice”, your Honour, is a choice unconstrained by any pressure, hope of advantage or benefit or force or coercion or compulsion, a true free choice.

GLEESON CJ: You would be surprised to know that there are places I would rather be than here at the moment and the psychiatrists might explain my presence at the moment by reference to a number of influences or pressures that
produce that consequence, but I thought I was here as a result of a free choice. How is that consistent with your
explanation?

Two High Court justices give a self-represented litigant a lesson in constitutional interpretation.

GAUDRON J: Now, would you like to read section 80 of the Constitution, Mr Wilson?

MR WILSON: Read section 80?

GAUDRON J: Yes, that is what - and see exactly what it relates to.

MR WILSON: I will read section 80 of the Constitution. It says:

The trial on indictment of any offence against any law of the Commonwealth shall be by jury - - -

GAUDRON J: That is right, “against any law of the Commonwealth”. You are charged with contempt of court of the Supreme Court of New South Wales.

MR WILSON: Which is part of the Commonwealth.

GAUDRON J: Well, it may be part of the Commonwealth, but it deals with - - -

MR WILSON: You cannot exclude New South Wales from the Commonwealth.

GAUDRON J: - - - it deals with a distinct area of judicial power. It involves a distinct area of judicial power.

CALLINAN J: Mr Wilson, both the Commonwealth - - -

MR WILSON: I am a bit hard of hearing and I ask you to speak louder.

CALLINAN J: Both the Commonwealth and the States in Australia can make laws.

MR WILSON: And any law of a State - - -

CALLINAN J: No, no, you just listen to me for a moment - - -

MR WILSON: - - - which is inconsistent with a law of the Commonwealth is invalid under section 109.

CALLINAN J: No, Mr Wilson, you are not understanding what I am saying. They each can have laws within their own areas of power and the States have power to make laws for the regulation of the State courts, and that is, in effect, what you are charged with, breaking a law made for the regulation of proceedings in the State courts.

The Pirate Bay has been blocked in India, along with other popular BitTorrent trackers. This apparently follows an order by the Department of Telecommunications (the legal status of which remains unclear) to block access. Visitors now see a block message like the one above.

The Pirate Bay has been blocked in India, along with other popular BitTorrent trackers. This apparently follows an order by the Department of Telecommunications (the legal status of which remains unclear) to block access. Visitors now see a block message like the one above.